AMERICAN INTENSIVE SOLAR GARDENING

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

Next, predrill and countersink the holes in the outside bottom corners of the end plates where the 2 x 4s fasten to them. The holes for the two-by-two inch end plate stiffeners (E) are drilled into the end plates (A) and countersunk approximately eight inches apart.

At this point you can attach the end stiffeners to the inside of the end plates. Hold the end plate stiffeners flush with the bottom of the end plates using wood clamps. Drill from the outside of the end plates where they are countersunk just into the end plate stiffeners. Secure the pieces with the two-inch flat-head no. 8 screws.

Paint all wood pieces with Cuprinol #10 and with the oil-based paint, if desired, after the Cuprinol has dried. (Do not use latex paint, since it will not stick to the Cuprinol.) Do any treating or painting in a well-ventilated area.

Make a template for the foam board insert (D), allowing two inches from the bottom end to make room for the end plate stiffeners that will be attached later. Cut the foam exactly to size so that it will fit snugly. Do not place the foam into the end plates until after the glazing is done.

Cut the two side rails (C) to size—94½ inches long. Drill a 3/4-inch-diameter hole about one inch deep in the center of each upper edge to accommodate the snow support (K). Then plane the upper outside edges so that the glazing will fit flush over the outside of the rails. Cut the pressure strips (F) into 96-inch lengths, putting a slight taper in each end. Mark the outside of the pressure strips with a countersink drill at 10-inch intervals. Treat these pieces with Cuprinol #10 and leave them to dry. They can be painted later, when the Pod is assembled.

Solar Cones

Once we settled on the ideal profile for the Solar Cone, we made prototypes of different sizes, ranging from small ones, about 12" in diameter, to one large enough for a person to sit in briefly—and one 10' in diameter, or greenhouse size. After many trials and long usage, we found that the most useful and material-efficient size is the 35"-diameter Cone. This size can easily cover a mature plant or be used to start a quantity of seedlings.

Strictly adhering to the accompanying cutout pattern is very important. The angle of the Cone's sides and the size of the top opening are both critical to its performance. While the size of the Cone can be varied, the ratio of the top opening to the volume must be maintained.

Staggering the Cone pattern on a 3'-wide sheet of Sunlite (.040- thick) wastes the least amount of material. For your first Cone, we recommend making a paper pattern. Draw the pattern directly on the fiberglass sheet with a marking pen. Cut it out, drill the holes as shown in the accompanying plan view, and file the edges smooth with sandpaper. This Cone then becomes the pattern for subsequent cones.

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print